Hard To Explain

I think most of the interpretations given are superficial. And, although I am not a teenager, I strongly believe this song is about relationship. And not relationship in general, but about birth of one.

Verse by verse:

"Was an honest man Asked me for the phone Try to take control"

She (subject of the song) meets a man, who asks for a phone number. She says:

"I don't see it that way",

saying that she is not kind of girl who gives her number (and personality, over which he wants to take control) to every passer-by who asks for it.

"Oh, we shared some ideas All obsessed with fame Says we're all the same"

He continues, tries to relate them not only physically, but intellectually. But she's still distant:

"Raised in Carolina I'm not like that Tryin' to remind her When we go back"

She is not, once again, "like that" (kind of girl). But in the end, time will show that she will fall for him, and he will "remind her" on what she said "when they go back".

"I missed the last bus, I'll take the next train I try but you see, it's hard to explain I say the right things, but act the wrong way I like it right here, but I cannot stay"

This is classical representation of flirting and falling in love with stranger. She feels comfortable with him, "accidentally" misses the bus, feels it's wrong (she cannot shay), but she actually likes the situation.

"I watch the TV; forget what I'm told Well, I am too young, and they are too old The joke is on you, this place is a zoo "You're right it's true""

She admits she is giving up pretending, forgets what she's told, says that "place is zoo" (isn't she animal)? "You're right, it's true" is continue of the previous quote "I'm not like that", actually a confection that it was a mask, as he suggested.

"Says he can't decide I shake my head to say Everything's just great"

Now it's his time to be unsure, testing her eagerness to stay with him and hoping she would say that "Everything's just great".

"Oh, I just can't remember I just can't remember"

Yet again, confusion, like with the first flirting strophe.

"Oh, man, can't you see I'm nervous, so please Pretend to be nice, so I can be mean I miss the last bus, WE take the next train I try but you see, it's hard to explain"

This is, perhaps, the most important part, concluding the whole situation:

she says "We take the next train" (in the earlier part stays "I'll take the next train"), so obviously, they end up together. She asks for excuse to be mean, to show her real face, now when it's obvious they'll stay together.

"I try but you see, it's hard to explain", she felt for him, and doesn't want to explain that to anyone.